Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
helicon Definition: (noun) A tuba that coils over the shoulder of the musician. Synonyms: bombardon Usage: As the marching band strolled by, Karen could see that the small boy carrying the giant helicon was sweating profusely.

Article of the Day

Ginkgo The ginkgo is a tall and slender picturesque deciduous tree with fan-shaped leaves. A "living fossil," the ginkgo is the only remaining species of a large order of gymnosperms that existed in the Triassic period; its form has not changed in millions of years. A combination of amazing disease resistance, insect-resistant wood, and the ability to form aerial roots and sprouts helps ginkgoes live more than 2,000 years. Where does the name "ginkgo biloba" come from? More...

This Day in History

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby Is Published (1925) Considered to be Fitzgerald's masterpiece, The Great Gatsby is a devastating critique of the American Dream and materialism at the height of the Roaring Twenties. It is the story of a bootlegger, Jay Gatsby, whose obsessive dream of wealth and lost love is destroyed by a corrupt reality. Today used as required reading in many high schools, the book has been cited as the paragon of the Great American Novel. Why did Fitzgerald dislike the title, and what did he want to call his novel? More...

Today's Birthday

Hugo Grotius (1583) Grotius was a Dutch jurist, philosopher, and writer. He enrolled at the University of Leiden at the age of 11 and became a lawyer at 15. Among his key legal treatises is the first definitive text on international law, On the Law of War and Peace, which prescribes rules for the conduct of war and advances the idea that nations are bound by natural law. In 1615, he became involved in a religious controversy that extended to politics and was eventually imprisoned. How did he escape? More...

Quotation of the Day
When writing about transcendental issues, be transcendentally clear. Rene Descartes (1596-1650)

Idiom of the Day
(someone's) door is always open — Someone is always available to be of guidance, support, aid, or assistance whenever needed. Said especially by an employer or teacher to an employee or pupil. More...

Today's Holiday

Salvation Army Founder's Day (2025) April 10 is the day on which William Booth (1829-1912), founder of the international religious and charitable movement known as The Salvation Army, was born in Nottingham, England. With the help of his wife, Catherine, he established the East London Revival Society, which soon became known as the Christian Mission and later The Salvation Army. Although Booth's birthday is observed to varying degrees at Salvation Army outposts around the world, a major celebration was held on the organization's centennial in 1965. More...